


Catching Up

by vitaldose



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Ficlet, Rated T for language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-21
Updated: 2014-08-21
Packaged: 2018-02-14 04:41:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2178306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vitaldose/pseuds/vitaldose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack and Shepard catch up.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Catching Up

**Author's Note:**

> A ficlet that's only half finished and I'm not sure I'm ever going to finish it.

"Shepard?! Holy shit man, you're looking older and older every time I see you."

"You don't look any better."

"Hey fuck you, you can't say that to a lady" Jack grinned.

"Lady?"

"You heard me."

"All right, all right, I doubt the citadel needs to see us duke it out."

"I'd win anyway."

"Only because I let you." Shepard extended his hand, calluses still obvious on his trigger finger and took Jack's thin hand in a tight grip "It's good to see you Jack."

"You're damn straight it is" she smirked, making the laugh lines on her face more apparent. But the truth was neither one was looking much older than the day they met, part of the perks of being a biotic.

It had been twenty years since the fight against the reapers cost the lives of millions of people across the galaxy. Twenty years since Shepard was forced to make the choices that changed not only the cultural but the political and the physical landscape of the galaxy. And although he had little choice in the matter, he'd been using his position as councilor for Earth to ease tensions all around. He'd heard on a vid once: ' _The day Shepard dies is the day the galaxy is thrust back in to turmoil'_. He could only hope that in his remaining years he'd keep that from ever becoming a reality.

Keeping the Krogans, Turians and the Salarians from bickering constantly was a theme that had been playing out for more than 20 years, and maintaining the peace would more than likely define his political career. In the years following the war with the Reapers, he'd spent a lot of time rounding up Cerberus operatives that hadn't been indoctrinated, of which there weren't many. With the help of Jacob Taylor, he'd created an organization to help reintroduce those who had been affected by Cerberus and help find humans displaced by the attacks on Earth places to live and work.

More colonies were established as the clean up on Earth was taking longer than expected. The Turians and Asari had managed to salvage most of Palaven and Thessia. Similarly the Krogans had all ready gotten started in reconstruction on Tuchanka as there was minimal damage done to preexisting buildings.

The Quarians however were busy with more than just building on Rannoch. When Shepard made the choice to wipe out synthetics in order to remove the reaper threat, he also deactivated the Geth and almost himself. He had prayed silently that the Geth had implemented a failsafe for such an event and he wasn't disappointed. When the code was sent out across the galaxy, most Geth downloaded their consciousness to local servers and shut them down and the ones all ready in Quarian suits were spared. Recently a Quarian expedition on Rannoch uncovered most of these servers and managed to reactivate the Geth consciousness, but without mobile platforms they were confined to the servers. Quarian scientists soon began work on new bodies with Geth approval.

With the loss of the relays communication between worlds had been greatly diminished. Those of other races stranded without communication to their home worlds began immediate work on ways to make contact with the outside. Within days of the end of the war, an Asari communications specialist stranded on Earth managed to contact Thessia and twenty years later she's back at home, working closely with the Asari government to keep lines moving. One relay on the outer reaches of the galaxy stayed intact; with that and now unclassified Prothean documents, work started on recreating the relays with great success.

"You still with uh what's his name?"

"Steve" Shepard crossed his arms and leaned back, "Steve Cortez."

"No shit, how's that going for you?"

"Great, 20 years and counting."

"Have you ever thought about making it official?" Jack raised her left hand and wiggled her ring finger, which prompted Shepard to raise his, a silver band sitting delicately amongst the scars "What, no invitation?"

"Hasn't happened yet, we've been engaged for three years, I swore I sent you an announcement" he laughed and shook his head "with all the damn work going on I don't know that we'll ever get to it."

"You will" Jack slapped him on the shoulder "you're Shepard."

"I'll never understand what that even means."

"Shut up, let's get lunch."

Ryuusei's was reopened a couple months after Shepard was shot through the floor and he didn't ever plan on returning there. Not that it upset him in anyway, but _Authentic French Sushi_ just didn't sit well with him. For the first time in a long time he was glad that the Citadel was now planted firm in the Sol system, heading between Earth and the Citadel had never been easier and authentic Earth food was actually authentic.

"Burgers and fries."

"Jack have I ever told you that I loved you?"

"Don't get weird on me."

"Do you know how long it's been since I've had a burger?" Shepard looked up at the menu and laughed "They've even got American cheese, man I haven't had that since I was a kid."

"Nostalgia bomb huh?"

"You aren't kidding" he looked over at Jack with a raised eyebrow "you didn't grow up on Earth, what made you think of this place?"

"Because I knew damn well you'd be in to it, it's got more meat than anywhere else on the citadel. I'm gonna grab a table-"

"What do you want?"

"Just get me whatever you get!"

"Okay" he turned to the person behind the counter, smiled and ordered two double bacon cheeseburgers with American cheese and all of the fixings. Except tomato, he never did care for the texture of the fruit.

As they prepared his order, his ear piece beeped.

A few years back Steve had purchased him a mobile holographic device. It was technology built off of recovered Cerberus pieces, much like the one The Illusive Man had used to taunt him. It had been fine for a while until Steve began to abuse his power and began regularly calling him in the nude. The last time being during a meeting with the Volus Counselor.

Putting his finger to his ear he smiled "Yes dear?"

"Don't call me dear."

"What? You love pet names" Shepard chuckled.

"Only in bed, what are you up to?"

"Oddly enough having burgers with Jack" he looked down at his number and leaned against a wall near the pickup window.

"Are you serious?"

"Absolutely, she sent me a message this morning asking me if I wanted to have lunch."

"It's been what five years?"

"She's been busy with the school, plus it's _Jack_. Honestly I didn't expect to see her again after-" Shepard looked up and caught Jacks gaze, who promptly flipped him off.

"After they rebuilt you for a second time?"

"What did Joker call me? Shepard 3.0?"

"That's rich coming from a guy who's been in a relationship for 20 years an AI."

Shepard laughed and shook his head "I think EDI's moved way past the title of AI. At this point, there's nothing holding back her sentience. She's as alive as me or you."

"With all those upgrades you're probably right" he laughed. Shepard loved his laugh, it was light and optimistic and reminded him everyday why he fell in love in the first place. "Anyway, I got a call from Kaidan, he wants to come and make us dinner tonight, I told him I'd ask you if you weren't busy."

"Canadian bacon and beer isn't dinner."

"He's gotten better, said he took some cooking classes back on earth."

Shepard's number dinged and went over to the counter "Thank you."

"Not a problem councilor" the guy behind the counter saluted and went back to the kitchen, Shepard picked up the tray and started heading over to the table.

"So what should I tell him?"

"Yea why not, guess today's to catch up with old friends huh?"

"Yea" Shepard could hear Steve exhale softly on the other end and pause "we really should throw another party."

"I'm not sure the apartment can take another full scale party, Grunt headbutted the door down last time."

"We can buy a new door, anyway I'll message Kaidan back and tell Jack I said hey, love you."

"Love you too." There was a buzz and the line went dead, Shepard reached up and touched his com as he got to the table "Steve says hey."

"He still calling you naked?" Jack reached across as he put the burgers down, to grab a handful of fries.

"If he is, I at least can't see anymore."

"Prude."

Shepard sat down with a sigh and picked up his burger. He'd taken up full residence on the citadel as he'd been convinced to keep Andersons apartment. It held nothing but good memories which he was grateful for, that and it had been a gift, Anderson would have been pissed if Shepard sold it. Slowly he bit in to the burger groaned "Best idea ever."

"Hell yea" they sat in silence for a while, simply enjoying the burgers.

"You still living at the school?"

"Yea, got too much shit to do most days to have a place off campus. Plus an apartment wouldn't have enough room for the varren to run."

"You're still keeping varren?"

"Yup three of em, Eezo's still alive if you can believe it, I've got Salamander and Miranda."

"Miranda?" Shepard laughed.

"She's one ugly bitch."

"Of course" he took another bite of his burger and inhaled "Steve say's I should throw another party, have a reunion of sorts."

"Everyone's scattered you'd be lucky to get half of us."

"Yea probably, but it'd be nice to see everyone together it's been-" he stopped talking, looking suddenly very lost.

"It's been?"

Shepard looked up from his food and tried a smile "It's been, lonely."

"What about Steve?"

"Steve is my light" he sighed "I just miss my friends."

"Hey" Jack reached over and tapped his hand "grow some hairs."

"Thanks Jack."

"You're welcome, now finish your burger."

 


End file.
